Central County Fire Chief Dave Pucci told hundreds of officials and residents gathered outside County Center in Redwood City on Thursday, Aug. 13, that fire operations serving Burlingame and Hillsborough would be severely compromised if Sacramento fails to restore $226 million in funding owed to San Mateo County and its cities.

"There is practically nothing that we can cut that doesn't immediately affect our operations, our service to the community," Pucci said at the news conference organized by the county.

Pucci said the department cannot reduce apparatus without crippling its ability to answer 911 calls. He pointed to the six-alarm fire that destroyed a 51-unit condominium complex in Foster City on Aug. 2 as proof. That blaze at 815 Sea Spray Lane injured four firefighters, displaced more than 150 residents and burned overnight into the next morning. Pucci said 150 firefighters responded while crews simultaneously handled other 911 calls, structure fires and medical emergencies across the county.

Central County Fire provides fire protection and emergency medical services to roughly 70,000 residents in Burlingame, Hillsborough and Millbrae. Burlingame contributes approximately $16.5 million annually to the department; Hillsborough contributes about $11 million, according to the department's most recent board financial report.

What's behind the shortfall

The funding dispute traces to a 2004 state budget deal that reduced the Vehicle License Fee rate and promised replacement dollars to counties and cities. For 55 other California counties, the money flows automatically. San Mateo County's does not, requiring annual legislative action.

For six consecutive years, the Legislature has approved one-time fixes. But the governor's office has not backed a permanent change to the formula, and the gap has ballooned. The shortfall exceeded $100 million in fiscal year 2024-25 and has grown to $226 million for fiscal year 2025-26, officials said. Burlingame alone is owed $4.6 million, according to the county's fair-funding tracker.

Officials said the shortfall equates to roughly 1,000 county and city jobs. The county has drawn about $40 million from reserves in each of the past two years to cover the gap, spending $80 million total. County Chief Executive Mike Callagy called the situation "the seminal fiscal issue this County has faced in its modern history."

Cuts already happening nearby

San Bruno City Manager Alex McIntyre described cuts his city has already made: three firefighter positions eliminated, one police officer position cut and eight total positions lost. McIntyre said San Bruno had just learned it must cut further.

No specific cuts have been announced for Central County Fire or Burlingame and Hillsborough services. But Pucci, who also serves as president of the San Mateo County Fire Chiefs Association, left no ambiguity about what reduced funding would mean for the department's 911 capacity.

As we reported in late July, the county remains in a fight with Sacramento over the funding formula. The county, along with Alpine County, Mono County and their cities, filed court proceedings in fall 2025 to compel the state to pay what is owed. Officials are also pursuing a legislative amendment that would make the funding automatic.

The department ordered four new fire engines in early 2026 to replace apparatus dating to 2001-2007, but delivery is not expected until 2028 or 2029.